Allergy-Friendly Fruit and Seed Chocolate Bark

Time and time again, it happens.   I'll have my schedule planned out for all the goodies I want to bake for my friends and family.  I'll have my kitchen set up like an assembly line, with cookie sheets taking up every counter space available.  Gift boxes, treat bags, tissue paper and ribbon are scattered haphazardly all over the kitchen table.  If I'm ahead of the game, I'll have an early start in the morning and be finished by dinner.  But most of the time, I'm baking late into the night.  And then it happens.  Something always happens.  I run out of an ingredient and it's too late to go run to the store.  I burn a batch of cookies (or two) because I had my headphones on with my music too loud, and I didn't hear the oven timer (yes, I realize now I should be using my phone timer instead).  As a result, I don't have enough cookies to fill all the boxes.  And the biggest thing that happens...I run out of time.

But don't worry, I've got a backup plan...

Allergy-Friendly Popcorn Balls

Halloween would not be complete without this quintessential holiday treat.  These caramel-coated popcorn balls are just the right combination of sweet, salty and crunchy. Not only are they perfect for your little ghouls and goblins to enjoy, they're also so quick and easy to make.

Classic Chocolate Truffles

Over the years, I've slowly come to realize that when it comes to making holiday treats,  I need to simplify things.  As much as I'd love to make all my favorite desserts for everyone, it's physically impossible for me to do it.  I've tried!  Oh boy, have I tried! And it was not pretty.  All those late nights baking all sorts of cookies and making two or three or four different candies.  Not sleeping!  It was crazy!  And I was crazy for putting myself through it!  

Allergy-friendly Fruit and Seed Chewy Granola Bars

Last month, I was planning to make fruitcake cookies but changed my mind and made shortbread cookies instead.  So now I have a bunch of dried fruit and seeds sitting in my cupboard.  I wasn't really sure what to do with them.  I thought, "Well I guess I can just toss them together and make trail mix."  But then I remembered the trail mix chewy granola bars I used to love.  They were made with nuts, which my 7 year old is severely allergic to.  So this week, I decided to make an allergy-friendly version of my favorite granola bars.  Not only are they nut-free, they're also dairy-free, wheat-free, soy-free and vegan :-) 

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Chocolate Candies)

Oh...my...goodness! I have these adorable candies to share with you! They're so quick and easy to make that I guarantee, once you take a bite of this fudgy confection, you'll be back for more.

Coconut and Lime Macaroons (Vegan with Gluten-free Alternative)

It's been a cold and rainy weekend and I'm not liking it too much. There was a little break of sunshine today but the clouds rolled back in by the end of the day. Tomorrow's forecast is even more rain.  This kind of weather just makes me want to stay in bed all day and dream about some tropical island somewhere.  Wouldn't it be nice to just relax on a large hammock under some coconut trees near a white sand beach?  Aaaaaaaaaah...that sounds so perfect right now.  Instead I'm sitting in front of the computer with a space heater directed at me.  Brrrrrrrrrrr

Red Wine Truffles with Dried Cherries

I was trying to come up with a new truffle recipe this week and I remembered how much my grandmother Dolores loves Champagne Truffles.  I always send her a box every Christmas along with other sweet treats.  Last year, I actually made them for her 90th birthday celebration. This year, I thought I would create a truffle inspired by her. She's the one who taught me how to make delicious Filipino desserts and I'd like to think I inherited her passion for cooking and baking.  So Lola Do, if you're reading this, I dedicate this truffle to you :-)

Sunbutter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats

I haven't had a chance to post anything lately.  I've been on this never-ending merry-go-round called the cold and flu, thanks to my adorable little kids.  Don't know when we're getting off this crazy ride but I thought I'd share a simple and easy treat I made recently.  It definitely put a smile on their cute sniffly faces :-)

El Diablo Chocolate Truffles

If you love my Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles but wanted more heat, I've created these fiery hot truffles just for you.  El Diablo (Spanish for "the devil") has three times the amount of cayenne pepper in them and I've sprinkled a generous amount of cayenne pepper on top, just in case it's not hot enough for you :-)

Avocado Ice Cream

 
Photo Credit: Kristen Somera

Just when I was starting to enjoy the cool weather, it heats up again! Well, I guess it's not too late for me to share another one of my favorite frozen treats. This is my take on my grandma's avocado ice cream.  It's so rich and creamy and the best part is you don't need an ice cream maker to make it :-)

Allergy-friendly Chocolate Banana Pops (Vegan)

Are you looking for an allergy-friendly frozen treat to beat the heat?  Try these chocolate banana pops.  My kids LOVE them!  I used Enjoy Life chocolate mega chunks and Spectrum organics shortening for the coating.  For an added crunch, I rolled them in crispy brown rice cereal.  You can even get the kids involved in making them.

Karioka (Deep-fried Coconut Rice Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze)

When my friend brought these over a few weeks ago, I said something that I wished I didn't. "I wish I knew how to make karioka. Nope. Strike that. I'm gonna learn how to make karioka!"  Before I knew it, I was searching online for recipes, adjusting a few ingredients to fit my liking and cooking up a batch of my own homemade karioka.  After I took my first bite, I knew I was in big trouble...

Colorful Rice Krispie Egg Treats

Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera

You know what I love about Springtime?  Everywhere I look, there's a delightful array of vibrant colors.  The bright blue sky makes such a great backdrop for the warm yellow sun and soft white clouds.  There's fresh green foliage covering the landscape and beautiful blooming flowers everywhere.  All these cheerful, pretty colors instantly put me in a happy mood.  If that colorful image doesn't put a smile on your face, then I don't know what will.  Well...maybe a rice krispie treat covered in rainbow sprinkles will do the trick :-)

Ginataang Bilo-Bilo (Glutinous Rice Balls, Tropical Fruits and Yams Stewed in Sweet Coconut Milk)

A big winter storm is heading down this weekend and it's bringing some pretty chilly temperatures along with it.  You know what that means?  Yup.  I'm gonna need some serious comfort food to warm my belly.  My all-time favorite comfort food has got to be my grandma's ginataang bilo-bilo (also known as sampelot in the province of Pampanga, where I grew up). It's a sweet and hearty stew made with coconut milk, tropical fruits, tubers, tapioca pearls and glutinous rice balls.  This luscious dessert really sticks to your ribs, which makes it so perfect for the cold weather.  Mmmmmmm...

Ginataang Mais (Coconut Milk Rice Pudding with Sweet Corn)

We've had some crazy weather here in my corner of the world.  It's been unseasonably cool all summer long and just as we're heading towards October, we get record dry heat, horrible humidity and then a heavy downpour with thunder and lightning...all in one week!  I guess it's true that we're a little spoiled here in San Diego because any slight change in the weather becomes big news.  But thankfully we're back to normal this week and it has been really nice.  The temperature has cooled down and I'm loving it.  The gray clouds and drizzly rain just makes me want to curl up in the couch and enjoy some warm, comforting food. 

Nutella Marshmallow Mousse

Mmmmmmmm.....Nutella. Just uttering the word makes me wanna grab a big spoon and dig into a jar of chocolate-hazelnut goodness. Aaaaaah...HAPPINESS. I'm telling you, if you haven't had the pleasure of eating this heavenly treat, you're missing out.

Cobblestone Fudge

Back in pastry school, I learned how to make cobblestone chocolates, which were little discs of chocolate topped with dried fruit and nuts. They were a bit tricky to make but they looked so amazing and they tasted absolutely divine.

Ambrosia Salad

We're going to my in-laws tomorrow and since they're not really big on desserts, I thought I'd bring them a fruit salad. My version of Ambrosia Salad has coconut milk and instant vanilla pudding mix as a base. It's light and not too sweet, so I hope they like it :-)

Celebrating with Champagne Truffles

What could be more indulgent than this? I took my favorite champagne and made it into truffles! Oh yeah... Let's ring in the New Year!

A Sea of Salted Caramels

This is my first attempt at making salted caramels. I guess the whole idea of standing by the stove and stirring a pot of hot sugar just didn't appeal to me. I'd much rather bake cookies or dip chocolate truffles. But my encounter with a french macaroon made me reconsider.